Operational energy transition

Overview

The National Defence Strategy recognises climate change as a national security issue. The effects of climate change will heighten challenges for Defence, including by creating harsher conditions the Australian Defence Force (ADF) will operate within. Additionally, the global energy market is evolving in response to the global demand for cleaner and more sustainable forms of energy.

Operational energy is a critical enabler of military capability, and Defence depends on assured supplies of energy to achieve its mission.

Contested logistics, reliance on commercial technology and infrastructure, and Defence's energy use all pose challenges to Defence‘s ability to assure access to resilient energy supplies throughout competition, crisis, and conflict.

In response, Defence has established the Defence Energy Transition Office (DETO) to coordinate operational energy transition. DETO collaborates across a range of internal and external networks and communities including, international allies and partners, federal and state agencies, industry bodies and Defence business partners.

Activities

Defence’s operational energy transition will occur through 3 phases.

  • Phase 0 (2024) Foundation setting - strategy creation and implementation approvals to enable and support transition.
  • Phase 1 (2025-2030) Acceleration - in consultation with the Services, scaling adoption and providing an industry demand signal to support domestic production of lower-carbon liquid fuels, capitalising on early energy transition opportunities and setting the conditions for transitioning hard-to-abate Defence capabilities/platforms.
  • Phase 2 (2031-2050) Scaled operational energy transition.

Acceleration will occur by:

  • integrating low carbon liquid fuels into the Defence Fuel Supply Chain
  • identifying practical energy efficiency measures
  • shaping policies to consider energy requirements
  • developing intelligence on emerging technologies.

Key achievements

The key achievements include:

  • demonstration of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) use in Royal Australian Air Force PC 21 at Williamtown Air show in November 2023
  • release of strategic guidance - Defence Future Energy Strategy
  • strategic partnership with industry - 12 months importation, handling and distribution
  • demonstration of renewable diesel on a Royal Australian Navy vessel 2024-2025.

Contacts

jlc.deto@defence.gov.au